Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker received the overwhelming endorsement of the state Republican Party for governor on Saturday at the Frontier Airlines Center.

Walker received 91.3% of the vote, underscoring the meticulous efforts by the former state legislator from Wauwatosa and his organization to court Republicans and delegates to the state convention.

Walker has long held an edge over fellow Republican Mark Neumann among the state's Republican hierarchy. Recognizing this, Neumann said earlier this month that he wouldn't seek the endorsement. Neumann received 1.8% of the vote. Delegates split the rest of their votes for other candidates, or didn't make a selection.

Walker championed his record as county executive, telling the audience that he would bring his record of fiscal conservatism to Madison.

He told them of his habit of packing his own lunch and driving an aging Saturn with 104,000 miles. He's used these stories as fodder to tout his "brown bag movement" during his campaign.

Walker said that his policies as county executive reduced the county's debt and helped shed government jobs.

"If I did it in Milwaukee County, we can take on the political machine in Madison and win for all of the taxpayers in the state," he told delegates.

Walker's endorsement comes on the heels of a statewide motorcycle ride the past week that trumpeted Milwaukee County. The trip drew criticism from Democrats, who called it a thinly veiled prelude to the convention.

Also, Walker's endorsement comes in the wake of a rough patch for the campaign.

Walker's campaign announced it was returning $43,800 in donations on Wednesday after a Wisconsin & Southern Railroad Co. executive reported to state regulators that he used company funds to reimburse employees and friends for making political donations. Such reimbursements are illegal. On May 13, Walker's constituent services coordinator resigned after questions were raised by the Journal Sentinel about her political comments on the newspaper's Web site while on the job.

Either Walker or Neumann is expected to face Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, a Democrat, in the general election on Nov. 2.

Even though he spurned the endorsement, Neumann, a former congressman and now a home-builder, spoke to 1,700 delegates and guests and brought a group of placard-waving supporters by bus. Most were not delegates and not allowed on the convention floor.

Neumann addressed them and promised to fight for them if elected. Later, in response to a reporter's question, Neumann said he was clearly the outsider.

"It's pretty obvious I'm on the outside, wouldn't you say?" he said.

Neumann has tried to de-emphasize the significance of the endorsement and said his campaign is appealing to independents and conservatives who aren't necessarily involved in Republican Party politics.

Neumann loaned his campaign just more than $1 million last year, and he's used the funds to bulk up his organization and to spend heavily on advertising. Polls suggest the spending has raised his visibility.

Financial gain

The endorsement gives Walker early organizational and financial assistance from the party. Had Republicans not endorsed a candidate, the party would have had to hold off on giving help until after the Sept. 14 primary, according to party Chairman Reince Priebus.

Now, Walker can lean on the state party infrastructure, including its staff and fund-raising lists. Walker can also take advantage of GOP volunteers at the county level.

More significant, the endorsement frees up funds the state party gets from the Republican National Committee before the primary. Walker could receive hundreds of thousands of dollars from the national party.

Neither Walker nor Neumann mentioned Barrett by name. But both railed against Democratic policies of Gov. Jim Doyle and President Barack Obama.

Democratic Party spokesman Graeme Zielinski said Republicans were endorsing a "weak candidate with even weaker principles." Walker's policies, he argued, would harm the economy and reduce jobs in Wisconsin.

In other action, the delegates failed to endorse a candidate for lieutenant governor after three ballots. The two highest vote-getters were Rep. Brett Davis (R-Oregon) and Superior Mayor Dave Ross. Former Green Beret officer and businessman Ben Collins of Lake Geneva and former TV journalist Rebecca Kleefisch of Oconomowoc were eliminated in earlier ballots. A candidate needs 60% of the delegate vote count to get the endorsement.

Delegates will take up the endorsement for U.S. Senate on Sunday. Four candidates - Terrence Wall, Dave Westlake, Ron Johnson and Dick Leinenkugel - are running for the GOP nomination.